Woman pleads not guilty to throwing shoe at Clinton

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton looks into the crowd after a person threw an object at her while speaking during The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries' annual conference at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on Thursday, April 10, 2014. Clinton, a potential 2016 presidential candidate is on a three-state tour of paid speaking engagements, including in California and Oregon. (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Woman pleads not guilty to throwing shoe at Clinton

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton takes a sip as she speaks during the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries' annual conference at the Mandalay Bay hotel-caisno on Thursday, April 10, 2014. Clinton, a potential 2016 presidential candidate is on a three-state tour of paid speaking engagements, including in California and Oregon. (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

By JEFF GERMANLAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

The woman accused of throwing a shoe at Hillary Clinton during an April 10 speaking engagement in Las Vegas pleaded not guilty late Wednesday to misdemeanor charges and was ordered to remain in federal custody.

Alison Ernst, 36 of Phoenix, pleaded not guilty to one count of trespassing on a restricted building or grounds and one count of violence against a person in a restricted building or grounds.

Following a brief detention hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach found that Ernst was a flight risk and a danger to the community.

Ferenbach raised concerns about her residency status and mental health condition, according to Natalie Collins, a spokeswoman for the Nevada U.S. attorney’s office.

Ferenbach appointed a federal public defender for Ernst and set a June 25 trial date.

Ernst was arrested in Phoenix last week by U.S. Secret Service agents and transported back to Las Vegas.

She is accused of hurling a black-and-orange Puma cleat at Clinton while the former U.S. secretary of state was addressing a metal recycling conference at Mandalay Bay. The shoe missed Clinton, and she made light of the interruption during her speech.